Spike TV Adds Adult Animation Block

TNN, the cable network that used to be known as "The Nashville Network," is in the process of remaking itself into Spike TV, the first American television network for men and one of the new skein's first moves will be to create an adult animation block known as "The Strip," which will run from 10:00 PM to midnight (ET, PT), and which will include Stan Lee's Stripperella as well as a new Ren & Stimpy Adult Party Cartoon, Gary the Rat, and reruns of classic Ren & Stimpy cartoons in a series called Ren & Stimpy Extra. The new block debuts on Thursday, June 26.

Stan Lee's Stripperella features the voice and cartoon image of Pamela Anderson, who stars as Erotica Jones, a stripper by night and superhero in the wee, wee hours. Humanoids is publishing a Stripperella one-shot comic book in early June (see "Humanoids To Publish Stripperella"), so retailers will have a tie-in product available even before the adult animation block debuts.

Frazier's Kelsey Grammar, who is superb as the voice of Sideshow Bob on the Simpsons, stars in Gary the Rat, the saga of a New York lawyer who is so slimy that he actually turns into a six-foot rat. Given the public's dislike for unscrupulous attorneys, Gary the Rat has a chance to make a major impression, and "The Strip" might also help resurrect the Ren & Stimpy characters, which were very big in the early 90s -- but the main value that this block may provide for pop culture retailers is simply to reinforce the notion that cartoons are not solely for kids, which will be of great benefit if it helps create a climate in which more anime series and films can be released in the U.S. while at the same time liberating American creators from the Disney-created kids animation ghetto.

Source: ICv2 News

While not expressly stated, insider rumors point towards the network possibly picking up some of the more adult themed animes that Cartoon Network and others will not show.

Catch ya' later,
Robert Richmond

[vass0922]

but is this goign to be a network like HBO that is allowed to show R rated items, or is it goign to be a 'risque' cable network like NBC or something?

From TNN and the grand ol' oprey to pamela anderson as erotica jones now there's a day to night transition

TNN is already showing uncut movies, but still nowhere near HBO. Think of Spike TV as being in between traditional cable networks like FX and premium networks like HoTime or SkinaMax.